Storm downs trees, power lines

Communities in northern Central Massachusetts were busy Monday evening cleaning out from the second powerful but short-lived storm to strike in less than a week.

The storm hit at about 3:30 p.m. and passed quickly through the northern part of the state, bringing heavy rain, lightning, hail and high winds.

The National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning for parts of Worcester and Middlesex counties until 6:15 p.m. as severe thunderstorms ripped across the state, roughly along the Route 2 corridor. No tornado materialized, but high winds did some damage.

In Athol, the storm brought heavy rain and downed trees along several streets. Pinedale Avenue was blocked by three trees that fell on power lines.

The driveway of Henry Crosby of 596 Pinedale Ave. was blocked by power lines, and trees littered his backyard. The three trees blocking Pinedale Avenue pulled down power lines next to his house and ripped his electrical service off the home.

Mr. Crosby said he watched the storm hit from a porch in the back of the house. Two large pine trees in the backyard snapped, about 15 to 20 feet off the ground. He said he saw one of the trees break.

“It twisted before it snapped off,” he said.

On Greenwood Terrace in Athol, a large tree and downed power lines blocked access to two houses. Also on the north side of town, trees were down on Silver Lake and West Royalston roads.

In Phillipston, where trees were still being cleaned up from a microburst that hit Thursday, police had Main Road blocked off just south of the Royalston Fish and Gun Club after a tree that hit a house with a glancing blow took down power lines across the road.

Tree damage and power outages were also reported in Fitchburg and Leominster. Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella posted on Facebook that North Leominster was hit with hail and the storm took down trees and knocked out power. Mayor Lisa Wong of Fitchburg reported power outages and downed tree limbs in her city.

Around 8:30 p.m., another thunderstorm was passing through. The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for areas including Worcester, Leominster and Marlboro until 9:30 p.m.